Mad for Plaid

From time to time, a fabric really grabs me. Call it love. No, call it infatuation, because as soon as I’ve worked with it for a while, something shinier catches my eye and I move on. My fabric-fetishes are a little unusual, I’ll admit. Nothing so cliché as silk or velvet. I tend to go for the butch end of the spectrum: the muscular workhorse fabrics that people take for granted–the reliable fabrics that don’t complain about doing the heavy lifting, and won’t let you down in a rainstorm. The kind of fabric that could bust you out of a third world prison, and make you look good doing it.

FYI, some of the handbags are for sale at my shop. Others have been sold. I’m happy to take custom orders.

(1) Corduroy – The first one was corduroy. As strong as denim, but a little more interesting. At first, one might think of the pants that all the geeky kids wore in the ’70s and shudder. But there’s nothing like the texture of corduroy: soft yet durable, textured yet utterly touchable. Add a delicate pattern, and it’s downright sensuous.

Three Corduroys Quilt

(2) Canvas – Oh, I love canvas. Specifically, natural-colored canvas, perhaps tea-dyed to give it that afternoons-in-the-workshop look. Canvas and I aren’t done with each other yet. I’ve still got some messenger bag designs on the brain, and maybe when the WIP is off to the crit group at the end of the month, I’ll get cracking on them.

Made-to-order Explorer’s Vest, tools included

Convertible messenger-clutch

Amelia Earheart Bag

(3) Brown Denim – Almost as tough as canvas, and looks better spray-painted. Much better. And if you’re thinking about using the extra-speshul non-toxic spray-style paint because it’s non-toxic? Don’t waste your money. Suit up and use the real thing.

Convertible clutch-messenger

This Bag Tells Time

Right now I’m doing some very girly things with upholstery fabric, lace doilies made by my distant relatives, and a handful of brass octopi. And I’m mad for anything plaid. But soon some other Clydesdale of a fabric will grab my eye, and I’ll make something awesome out of it.

Are you in a hurry? I’m trying to finish a draft for my crit group before the end of the month. But if you can wait, then I can make a jolly nice one, with a strap as wide as you like. What size of bag were you looking for?